Closure for processing tanks



P 1953 G. c. LOWE CLOSURE FOR PROCESSING TANKS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed July 2, 1949 me W e mL t c%& 2 w

Geo BY G. C. LOWE CLOSURE FOR PROCESSING TANKS Sept. 8, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 2, 1949 Lowe Attorney Gearge C Patented Sept. 8, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,651,192 CLOSURE FOR PROCESSING TANKS George G. Lowe, William Allen Worcester,

Son s Company, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Application July 2, 1949, Serial No.

assignor to Worcester,

Mass.,

3 Claims. (01. 68'184) The present invention through being action of the contents of the tank, with the cover closed.

of the present invention is to pro- According to the present invention, there is provided a liquid seal for a tank, such as is used in dyeing or similar processing operations, wherecover, as with previous constructions.

The above and othe advantageousflfeaturest.

trough of the tank. Referring first to Fig. 1, the

the cover 2.

The cover "the entire -th flange 6.-

In order to provide a liquid seal between the cover 2 and the open top of the tank i, the trough a is continuously supplied with the dye, Or other processing liquid L, within the tank, by means of a pipe 8 leading from the outlet 9 of a suitable pump it which is employed for maintaining circulationof the processing liquid L that is contained within the' tank 1:". In theparticularform of dyeing tank shown in Fig. 2, the dye liquid is delivered under pressure to the interior of the tank by pipes l I leading from the pump outlet 8", and it is to be noted that the pipe 8;: leading up wardly to the trough 4 is relatively small in size,

as compared to the pipes llgso'thatonlya small volume of dye liquid is delivered it .thettrough. 4, as compared to the volume of liquid that is handled by the pump It in maintaining a continuirus circulation of the dye liquid within the. tank l...

As previously pointed. out, the dye liquid L is usually maintained at a temperature close to, or above, boiling, with the dye level beingsuch as to allow ample space at the top' of the tank for the liquid to give off vapors; withoutgenerating any appreciable pressure betweeen the liquiiflevel and thetank cover 2'. Since-the trough 4 is continuously supplied with dye" liquid from thepipe 8, thetrough will alwaysbefull and, infact', the liquid therein will always be flowingback into the tank over the open edge i -ofthe trough which is lower than the flange surrounding'the trough for the support of the cover 2. As a result, there is a continuous body of dye liquid in the trough in which is submerged the sealing flange I projecting downwardly from the cover 2, so that there is no possibility of any" dye liquid vapor escaping from betweeen the cover 2; and the: outside tank flange 6'.

Obviously, the liquid seal within thetrough 4 will remain effectiveso long as the cover 2 remains closed. and thepump t operation. However, as soon as the pump is stopped, preparatory toopening the cover-land removing the contents of the tank; the liqud' in. the trough 4 will automatically drain back into the. tank I through a small pipe l2 extending between. the bottom of the trough 4 and the interior of the tank, as shown at the left in Fig; 2a This automatic draining of the trough Ninsures that. the trough will be free. of dye: should; it be desired. to drain the tank of dye: of one; color and. use; dye of another color, between successive. operations of the pump Hi;

As previously" pointed. out,. the pine at leading from the pump outlet 9" to the trough 4 is relatively small in. diameter, as compared to the pipes H that deliver the liquid to the tank, and; the flow of liquid through the pipe18 is adapted to be controlled by a suitable. valve P3. The valve l3 makes it possible to adjust the rate of. flow of. the liquid. intothe sealing trough 4', so that just enough liquid. will be supplied to the trough to keep the trough full, with the sealing flange l on the cover 2. always completely submerged. The fact that the lower end of. the flange IV is above the bottom ofv the trough 4 permits tree circulation of liquid therein.

In: order that admission of liquid to the trough a by the pipe a will not be accompaniedby any jetting or spraying, due to pressure developed by the pump ID, the upper end of the pipe ll provides a chamber M for the purpose of reducing the velocity of flow of liquid entering the chamber l4 from the pipe 8. As best shown in the enlarged detail view of Fig. l, the chamber i4 is formed by a cylindrical casing 15, of considerably larger diameter than the pipe 8, into which casing Hi the liquid is admitted directly. The casing 15 flts into an opening l6 provided in the bottom of the trough 4, and the upper end of the casing l5 provides a disk l1 having a number of small perforations Ila.

With the above described arrangement, the chamber 114 will be kept filled with liquid delivered by'the pipe 8, and the liquid will enter the trough 4. through the perforations Na, in a number of very small streams. As a result, any velocity of flowris: entirely" removed from the liquid entering the trough 4, and the liquid will distribute itself evenly within the: trough until the trough is filled,

' after". whichitwillfiow over the edge 5 back into the tank 1.

orderrtu: reduce evaporation of the liquid within the trough 4 to a minimum, so that the concentration, or flowing qualities, of the liquid will not be materially affected by its circulation within thetrough, the apparatus provides means for cooling'the liquid before it enters the trough. For" this purpose, a considerable length of. the pipe 8 is surrounded by heat-radiating fins l8, the function of which is to dissipate heat from the liquid, before it enters the trough 4, so.v that itstemperature will bereduced to the point where there will be substantially no loss of liquid through evaporation as it flows around the-trough and back intothe tank I over the edge 5.

The pipe 8 is also provided with a suitable strainer 9 located below the valve I 3, the purpose of. which is to remove any sediment, or solid matter, from the liquid before its delivery to the trough &. Passage of the liquid through the strainerlls al'so serves toreduce its velocity of flow and obviously prevents the accumulation of sediment, or solid matter', at the bottom of the trough 4 which would be undesirable when changing the color or general characterofthe liquid.

In order to hold the cover 2 tightly closed, after it has been lowered to position the sealing flange 1 within the trough 4', the sides of the tank provide pairs of clamping arms 20 that arepivotally mounted on brackets 21 attached to the sides of the tank below the trough 4'. The cover 2 provides pairs of spaced cross members 22 that are adapted to receive the clamping arms 20 between them: when the latter are swung inwardly from the position of Fig. l to. the position of Fig. 2. Each arm 2Uprovides a threaded portion 23 for receivmg'a clamping nut 24 which can be turned downwardly until it'engages the tops of a pair of cross members 22 and holds them firmly in contact with the flange 6 which surrounds the trough 4.

When the cover 2 is lowered from the dotted line position of Fig. 2, in order to close the tank I, the downwardly projecting sealin flange 1, which extends entirely around the underside of the cover; enters the trough 4 and the walls thereof: serve as a guide in. properly positioning the cover 2 when it comes to rest, with the projecting ends of the cross members 22 resting on the trough flange 6, as shown in full lines in Fig. 2-. With the cover 2 thus positioned and properly located by the flange l, the open spaces between thesides of the cross members 22 will be in substantial alignment with the clamping arms 20, so that the latter can be swung upwardly to pass between the members 22 before turning down the nuts 24 toclamp the cover 2 firmly in position- It is to be noted that the trough flange 6 provides a downwardly turned lip which is engaged, by the clamping arms 20 from opposite sides of the tank I so that the arms 20 will extend tom of said trough, a pump having its inlet and vertically when the nuts 24 are turned down. outlet connected to said tank for maintaining a and thereby cause the nuts 24 to bear evenly on circulation of heated liquid within said tank, a

by the provision of a liquid seal that is continupipe so that liquid is delivered to said trough at the tank liquid while the processing operation 3. A tank, said tank being open at its top, an in progress. open trough extending entirely around the top I claim: 15 of said tank, the bottom of said trough over- 1. A tank, said tank bein open at its top, an hanging the tank wall and the inner edge of said open trough extending entirely around the to trough being at a lower level than its outer edge,

trough being at a lower level than its outer edge, on said trough flangeand having a downwardly in the middle of said trough, with the lower end and outlet connected to said tank for maintaintank, a connection between thepuxnp outlet and maintaining a continuous seal between the insubmergence of the sealing portion 01' said cover, the bottom 01f Said trough and the interior of'said ature of the liquid in said tank. GEORGE 0' LOWE A tank, said a being at its WP, an References Cited in the file of this patent of said tank, the bottom of said trough overhang- UNITED STATES PA'I'ENTS ing the tank wall and the inner edge of said Number Name Date trough being at a lower level than its outer edge. 92,987 Moneuse July 27, 1869 a fiat flange extending outwardly from said 5 153,410 Whitnum Jul; 21, 1874 troughs outer edge, a cover for said tank resting 769,818 Cunneen Sept. 13, 1904 on said trough flange and having a downwardly 1.382.992 Lombard June 28, 1921 extending sealing portion positioned substantially 1,595,476 Minton Aug. 10, 1926 in the middle of said trough, with the lower end 2,170,579 Sperry Aug. 22, 1939 of said sealing portion terminating above the bot- 2.327.733 Moore Aug. 24, 1943 

